Over the last few decades, reported stories of athlete abuse in college athletics have become more frequent and more egregious. Incidents of abuse – including physical, mental, and sexual – have been swept under the carpet, and perpetrators are often able to resign and find employment at other institutions. The media as a whole is often complicit, choosing to preserve their access to programs, coaches, and administrators rather than ask the tough questions about accountability. The Larry Nasser abuse case is one of the most well-known cases of sexual abuse that went unaddressed and left hundreds of victims in its wake, but it is just one of many. What mechanisms can be put in place to hold colleges, universities, coaches, and athletic staff members accountable for incidences of abuse in college athletics?
